SALEM -- Social conservatives and church groups are admitting defeat in their efforts to collect signatures for initiatives to repeal two Oregon gay rights laws in this November's election.

The campaigns were aimed at derailing a domestic partnership law and another new law banning discrimination based on sexual orientation. Both were enacted by the 2007 Legislature.

Opponents say they are dropping their efforts to qualify the repeal initiatives for this fall's ballot because neither has received a state-approved ballot title and the deadline for turning in signatures is only a few weeks away -- July 3rd.

Former state Sen. Marylin Shannon, a Brooks Republican who was co-sponsor of the measure to repeal the domestic partnership law, said opponents aren't going to give up and will work to place a repeal measure on the 2010 ballot.

"There should be a vote of the people on this," Shannon said.

But the state's leading gay rights group, Basic Rights Oregon, says the latest failure by opponents to force a statewide vote on the issue shows that a growing number of Oregonians support giving same-sex couple rights and protections similar to marriage.

"It's a further indication that there is a sea change in Oregon on this issue," said Jeana Frazzini, the group's executive director.

I remember Herb saying, "This won't sit well with the voters."

23 percent doesn't exactly carry the punch it once did huh?

I always love hearing from Oregon's dimmest dim bulb, Marilyn Shannon. She, along with Lon Mabon and Scott Lively go down in history as three of the most fundamentally deranged people in Oregon politics. They make Gordon Shadburn look respectable.

I just found this on the internet: On August 30, 1993, Senator John McCain spoke at an Oregon Citizen Alliance fund-raising dinner. Conjures up wonderful memories. Yuck.

Herb and Broadway can put their OCA lawns signs back in their garages for another couple of years.

Last time I checked it wasn't the Christian thing to be a bigot.

The f'd up thing in all this is now I am gonna have to go tell my ageing mother that one of her friends (Shannon) was the sponser of a bill that effects my brother and someone who Marilyn actually knows.

"On August 30, 1993, Senator John McCain spoke at an Oregon Citizen Alliance fund-raising dinner."

For real? Might be a useful bit of ammo if the swiftboaters surface again.